These are questions about the travel emergency medical coverage for our Personal Health, Replacement Health, and Group benefit plans, along with our TravelStar Emergency Medical Plans.
I have a plan that includes out-of-country emergency medical coverage. If I travel abroad, do I have medical coverage for emergencies?
You have coverage as long as:
- You’re travelling while your policy is effective;
- Your trip is within the number of days you have coverage for, from your departure date;
- There is no “Avoid All Travel” advisory for your destination; and
- There is no “Avoid Non-Essential Travel” advisory for your destination for anything other than COVID-19.
I have a plan that includes emergency medical coverage. Do I have coverage for COVID-19 if I travel outside of Canada?
You have coverage up to $500,000 for medical expenses related to a positive diagnosis for COVID-19. This $500,000 is part of the emergency medical coverage maximum identified within your plan – not in addition to.
You’re covered for emergency medical expenses related to testing positive for COVID-19 when:
- Your destination has a travel warning to “Avoid Non-Essential” travel exclusively for COVID-19.
- You haven’t had a positive diagnosis of COVID-19 during your stability period.
- You didn’t have any symptoms of COVID-19 before your departure.
- You’re within your allowable days of travel or effective dates of your plan.
You’re not covered for any emergency medical expenses when the Government of Canada has issued the following travel warnings for your destination:
- “Avoid All Travel” warning
- “Avoid Non-Essential Travel” for something other than COVID-19.
Examples would be (but not limited to) terrorism, high crime, violence, civil unrest, other health notices, etc.
How do I get proof of my travel insurance for a trip?
- If you have a GMS plan that includes travel coverage, please give us a call at 1.800.667.3699. You can also send an email to info@gms.ca. Be sure to include your name, date of birth and your GMS ID or policy number. We'll be able to send you a letter confirming your coverage with us.
- If you have a TravelStar Emergency Plan or an Immigrants to Visitors to Canada Plan, you can use the confirmation document as proof. The confirmation document was included in the email we sent when you purchased your coverage.
Is part of my trip covered if I'm travelling to multiple destinations and one of the destinations has an "avoid all travel" or "avoid non-essential travel" advisory for a reason other than COVID-19?
No. There is no coverage for the entire trip if any part of it includes travel to a region where, prior to the departure, there is a travel advisory issued by the government to "avoid non-essential travel" for other reasons than COVID-19 or "avoid all travel" for a country, region, city or destination, including cruise ships, that are part of your destination.
Do I need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to be eligible for travel emergency medical benefits?
No. We don't require you to be vaccinated to be eligible for emergency medical benefits.
What happens if I'm on a trip to a country that only has an "Avoid non-essential travel" for COVID-19, but during my trip the advisory changes to a "Avoid all travel"? Is my coverage still in effect?
Your coverage would be in effect until your plan expires. Extensions would not be available though.
Can I extend my GMS emergency medical coverage if I need to be away longer due to COVID-19 travel disruptions?
If you're stranded or delayed passed your scheduled return date due to the delay of a common carrier (bus, train, airplane, etc.) you would be eligible for an automatic three-day coverage extension. This is only for customers with an Individual Health or TravelStar plan. If you're a group plan member, check your policy to see if an automatic coverage extension is included with your plan.
If you're going to be stranded or delayed more than three days due to the COVID-19 disruptions you can purchase a policy extension if you:
- Contact us prior to the expiry date of your policy; and
- Have not had a claim or required medical treatment during your trip and have met the plan's eligibility requirements.
Please call us at 1.800.667.3699 (within Canada and the US) or collect at 1.306.352.7638 (from all other locations) if you need an automatic extension or if you need to purchase an extension. Our Call Centre is open Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CST.
I'm choosing to remain on my trip longer than my GMS annual plan allows for. Can I purchase a TravelStar Emergency Medical Plan to extend my trip?
Yes. When buying a TravelStar Emergency Medical Plan as a top-up for a GMS policy, you must:
- Apply for coverage two business days before the expiry of your current policy
- Not have had a claim or required medical treatment during your trip
- Meet the plans eligibility requirements of the policy you are purchasing
Please call us at 1.800.667.3699 (within Canada and the US) or collect at 1.306.352.7638 (from all other locations) if you need to purchase a top-up. Our call centre is open Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CST.
Can I purchase a StudentPlan plan for the upcoming school year?
No. Sales of our StudentPlan are unavailable until further notice.
Can I purchase a TravelStar Trip Cancellation Plan?
No. Trip Cancellation and Interruption coverage is currently unavailable.
Am I covered if I'm required to quarantine due to COVID-19 and I won’t be able to return home until after my travel coverage expires?
If you have a TravelStar Emergency Medical, Personal Health, or Replacement Health Plan and it was still in effect when you started your quarantine, we'll automatically extend your policy for 72 hours after you've been discharged from a hospital or you've completed your quarantine requirement. Please make sure to contact GMS Travel Assistance toll free at: 1.800.459.6604 or collect: 905.762.5196.
Am I covered if my travel companion (who doesn’t have a GMS policy) is required to quarantine due to covid-19 and I can’t get home before my emergency medical coverage ends?
If you have a TravelStar Emergency Medical, Personal Health, or Replacement Health Plan and it was still in effect when your travel companion started their quarantine, we'll automatically extend your policy for 72 hours after your travel companion is discharged from a hospital or they’ve completed the required quarantine. Please make sure to contact GMS Travel Assistance toll free at: 1.800.459.6604 or collect: 905.762.5196.
Will I have emergency medical coverage if I decide to stay outside of Canada if the Canadian Government asks all Canadians to return home?
You’ll have coverage, according to the terms and conditions of your policy, up to the expiry date of your plan.
Are trip interruption or delay expenses covered under my emergency medical plan if I'm delayed at my destination waiting for a COVID-19 test to enter Canada?
No. This is not a benefit of the policy.
If I can be vaccinated for COVID-19 while I'm travelling in another country, is that covered?
No. Vaccinations are not covered.
Am I covered if I receive a COVID-19 vaccine while travelling and have side effects?
Yes. If you have no symptoms before your departure date and if you meet the stability requirements of your plan.
Can I cancel my TravelStar emergency medical plan if I haven’t left on my trip?
You can change or cancel your coverage for a full refund as long as it’s before the effective date. Just give us a call toll free at 1.800.667.3699 or at our local number 306.352.7638, or send us an email at info@gms.ca to cancel. If you purchased your plan through a broker, you can also contact them.
I came home early from my trip, can I get a refund for the days of emergency medical coverage I didn’t use?
Single-Trip Emergency Medical plans can be refunded. We’ll refund you for your unused days of Single Trip coverage as long as you haven’t submitted a claim for that trip
Be sure to send us a cancellation request by email no more than 30 days from the day you return home. Once we’ve issued your refund, you’ll no longer be able to submit a claim under that plan. If you purchased your plan through a broker, you can also contact them.
Multi-Trip Annual Emergency Medical plans are not refundable.